Government offices held (appointed or elected), including dates: See above and

2008 to present City of Sarasota Planning Board/Land Planning Agency, Chair 2010, Appointed by Sarasota City Commission;

Ad Hoc Police Advisory Panel, Member and Chair, 2009, Appointed by Sarasota City Commission

Community involvement:

Sarasota County Civic League, Past President and Board Member; Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations, Past President and Executive Committee Member; Hudson Bayou Neighborhood Association, Past President and Board Member; Florida Association for Women Lawyers (Sarasota Chapter), Past President and Board Member; Sarasota County Bar Association, past director; Teen Court, Volunteer Judge for over 20 years; Sarasota Mental Health Resource Center, now known as Mental Health Community Centers, President and Board Member; Women's Legal Fund, Founding President and Board Member; Leadership Sarasota Class, sponsored by the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce; Presenter, All America City team for work on clean water issues; Honored by the Florida Bar, the Florida Supreme Court and the Governor for pro bono legal services to children

Please assess the status of the city's financial condition and what, if anything, you would recommend to change that status.

The city has a significant unfunded pension liability that threatens to consume our entire budget. We must resolve this issue by converting our pension plans to defined contribution, as opposed to defined benefit plans. This is the model that governments and private business are adopting, because defined benefit plans are not sustainable. We must phase this change to consider the needs and expectations of those employees nearing retirement.

This change will not resolve all of our budget issues. We must look to consolidate duplicated services with Sarasota County. City residents are county taxpayers, as well, and we deserve our fair of county services. I do not favor consolidation of the entire police department, but there may be opportunities in the police and other departments for cost effective consolidation.

Although the City is beginning to recover from the recession, we must avoid the boom and bust economy that has contributed to our downturn. We must diversify our economy by facilitating the growth of local business. I do not favor business economic subsidies. Rather, I look to attraction of business and business opportunities through economic gardening, development of our green economy, and by focusing our exceptional quality of life, transit and other infrastructure improvements, and our high quality educational system.

Do you support or oppose the proposal for the city to use private-sector funding, with some city and county dollars, to hire caseworkers dedicated to relieving homelessness?

I support it. This is a good start, but only the beginning of addressing a serious and very complex city problem.

What other steps, if any, should the city take regarding homelessness?

Using the police, jails, emergency rooms, downtown streets, or parks to address the homeless issue is not responsible. This is the pattern our community has established. It is costly and unproductive. It burdens our businesses and our citizens. We must pursue public-private partnerships and regional solutions to implement best practices.

I support the concept of a one-stop center similar to the one in operation in Bradenton. I support the ten year plan to address homelessness developed by the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness. We know what the best practices are: integrated and customized case management, shelter with programs to improve outcomes for individuals who are homeless and verifiable success in improving the outcomes, effective behavior modification techniques for those who are facing homelessness, and educating the public that supporting panhandling through street corner donations and feeding homeless individuals in parks does not improve their well being.

What would be your priorities as a commissioner and what would you do to help achieve those goals? Cite up to three.

Addressing continuing, unresolved fiscal crisis

Implementing advanced community policing strategies to confront crime and public safety issues

Supporting the city manager/commission form of government, which is the model for the best run cities.

Some citizens believe the City Commission should take steps to make downtown Sarasota more "vibrant."

Two questions:

1. How would you describe downtown?

Downtown is vibrant. Many new retail establishments and restaurants have opened in downtown Sarasota, clear signs that our long and difficult recession is abating. On any evening, our sidewalks are filled with strollers and customers, locals and tourists. Our Saturday Farmer's Market is crowded and festive. Our many downtown arts events and festivals are well attended. We are developing a good mix of retail, entertainment/dining establishments, and residences downtown.

2. What changes, if any, should the City Commission pursue downtown?

We need to expand the Downtown Improvement District to address keeping our downtown clean and presentable. Our sidewalks need more regular cleaning. We must find solutions to the problem of employees of downtown businesses using on street parking that should be devoted to customers. The public has rejected parking meters. We must explore other alternatives. Our downtown parks should be the sites of more day to day activities (for example pop-up noon time concerts, pop-up dining, etc.) to encourage their use by non-homeless persons. We should consider best practices to improve the walking experience, such as flowers and plantings, and a pedestrian mall on weekday evenings to encourage strolling.

What job or position have you held that would make you an effective commissioner?

My 35-years of experience as a practicing attorney has taught me the benefits of rigorous study and preparation.

I have broad experience in team and consensus building gained as a community volunteer and leader of a wide variety of community organizations.

I have had a lifetime of professional experience with crime and public safety issues and recent experience as Chair of the Ad Hoc Police Advisory Panel where extensive study lead to a recommendation of cutting-edge best practices in policing for our City.

Are you satisfied with the city's zoning code? If not, what changes would you propose or support?

As our iconic planner John Nolen said many years go: "A good plan is one that does not attempt to bind the city too far into the future." Zoning codes are living, breathing, fluid documents. However, land use changes should not be made on whim, and they must reflect the collective desires of the city's residents. Our city residents are not the voices of the minority, as some are suggesting, but intelligent, considered opinions of persons who value a quality of life that has been built and preserved over many generations so we have a city of urban amenities with small town living that attracts both new residents and tourists alike.

I believe in predictability for both developers and homeowners. Developers put a great deal of money into their projects and must not jump through unnecessary governmental hoops in seeking approval of their projects. However, abutting residents have most often made the most significant financial investment of their lives in purchase of their homes. Protection of that financial investment and their quality of life is an important component of zoning decisions.

Almost all applications for real estate development are approved by both the Planning Board and the City Commission. This has resulted in an expectation that changes to our City plan or our zoning code can and will be made for any real estate development in the name of "economic development." In other words, it is predictable that our land use plan or our zoning code is as malleable as the next proposed project. The result is that residential neighborhoods have lost their predictability. Residents no longer trust our City Plan or zoning code to protect their "rights of quiet enjoyment of their property." This concept of "quiet enjoyment" or sanctuary underlies planning and zoning and recognizes the basic human need for rest and retreat from the hubbub of daily activity.

I do not believe in administrative site plan review for the whole city, or new portions of the city, and will always value and champion the citizen's voice as well as encourage quality new development. I do not believe in the densities that are higher than Manhattan's, that currently are being proposed for downtown and elsewhere.

What is your campaign's message?

Sarasota is a unique and wonderful city that must build upon its competitive advantage in the arts, culture, and education as generators of economic development.

We must create jobs for the younger generation while continuing to attract older retirees and tourists. We must value and respect each generation's skills and needs rather than dividing our city into young vs. old.

We must value the 21st century collaborative, transparent governmental model that honors all voices and bring civility back to our government and our city.

Last modified: March 2, 2015
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